Pilot light burner



Jan. 10, 1967 R. E. MURPHY 3,297,074

PILOT LIGHT BURNER Filed Sept. 9, 1965 INVENTOR RAYMOND E. MURPHY BYWMWW ATTOR WHY 3,297,974 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 fire 3,297,074 HMPT LHGHT BURNER Raymond E. Murphy, The Essco Supply (30., Edgemoore Ava, Salisbury, Md. 21801 Filed Sept. 9, 1265, Ser. No. 436ml 2 Claims. (Cl. 158-115) This invention relates to improvements in pilot light burners and more particularly to improvements in guards and burner flame baffles for gas pilot lights.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a gas pilot light burner which will provide a hard and strong flame with minimum use of gaseous fuel.

A further object is'the provision of a guard for gas pilot lights which will provide substantially complete combustion of gaseous fuel supplied to the pilot light and protects the pilot light from stoppage by dust or dirt.

A further object is the provision of a burner flame baffle for gas pilot lights which has a plurality of port means for emission of tongues of flame therefrom and includes an ignition way extending therebetween so that, in the event that one of the tongues of flame emitted therefrom is extinguished, the tongues of flame issuing from the other port means will ignite the raw fuel passing through the extinguished port means.

A further object is an arrangement of a gas burner, pilot light and thermocouple in juxtaposed relationship whereby the pilot light protects the thermocouple from direct heat of the gas burner and the thermocouple protects the pilot light from outside drafts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hecome apparent during the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

' forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview showing my improved pilot light burner and my improved relationship between gas .burner, pilot light burner and thermocouple.

tails of my improved guard for gas pilot light burners and the burner flame baifle thereof.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may generally designate a burner assembly; B a gas burner; C a pilot light burner; and D a thermocouple.

Burner A may have any suitable frame construction which may include a base plate which supports gas burner B, pilot light burner C, and thermocouple D.

Burner B may be of any conventional type. In the form shown in the drawing, the same includes a burner ring 12 having a plurality of burner jets 13 and a gas supply pipe 14 through which gas is supplied to ring 12 and thence to jets 13. Suitable brackets 15 are used for attachment of ring 12 to base plate 10. The type of gas burner shown is merely for purposes of illustration of the invention and i the invention is not to be construed as being limited to a gas burner of the type shown.

Pilot light burner C preferably includes gas supply means 20, pilot light guard 21 and burner baflle 22.

Gas supply means 20 may be of any approved type which includes a fitting 23 interconnected with a gas supply line 24 and having orifice 25 which provides for emission of gas from the gas supply means into pilot light guard 21, as will be subsequently described. Gas supply means 2t? may be mounted on base plate 10 of gas burner A such as by nut 26.

In conventional construction, supply line 14 of burner B and gas supply means Ztl of pilot light burner C usually have the same source of gas supply, a heat sensitive valve being located in such supply line and interconnected with thermocouple B whereby when the temperature of thermocouple D falls below a certain point, gas supply line 14 will be closed by the valve therein. This is conventional construction and the valve arrangement thereof has not been shown in the drawings.

Guard 21 preferably includes an elongated tubular body portion till having an elongated combustion chamber 31. A plurality of air vent passageways 32 are provided in tubular body portion 3d, the same opening from peripherally thereof to elongated combustion chamber 31. Means 33 is provided at one end of elongated tubular body portion fill for attachment thereof to gas supply means 29. Means 33 may comprise a nut 35 which is threadly received on fitting 23 and to which is attached elongated tubular body portion 30. As shown, elongated combustion chamber 31 is preferably arranged in axial alignment with gas supply means 20 so that orifice 25 of gas supply means 20 discharges axially into elongated combustion chamber 31. As gas is emitted. from orifice 25, the same will be intermingled with air drawn through air vent passageways, providing substantially complete combustion of the gas within elongated combustion chamber 31. it is to be specifically noted that air will be taken into elongated combustion chamber Fill throughout substantially the entire length thereof, thereby providing a pilot light having a hard strong flame and optimum gas combustion. The provision of a plurality of air vent passageways 32 spaced apart along the entire surface of elongated tubular body portion Stl protects the pilot light from accumulation of dust and dirt such as is likely to cause a stoppage thereof. In the event that enlarged air vent passageways were provided only adjacent the lowermost portion of tubular body portion 30, dust and dirt would be likely to be sucked thereinto direct from base plate Ill, causing stoppage of the pilot light. In the event that this situation was sought to be avoided by provision of enlarged openings only at the uppermost portion of tubular body portion 30, the flame in elongated combustion chamber 31 would be drawn outwardly therethrough, causing the pilot light to be inoperable.

In the form shown, there is a direct relationship of the size and area of combustion chamber 31, air vent passageways 32, and the diameter of orifice 25. For instance, if it is desired to increase the gas supply through gas supply means Zll, such as by enlarging orifice .25, it is likewise necessary to proportionally increase the area of enlongated combustion chamber 31 and the number of air vent passageways 32 leading thereinto. Optimum combustion of such an increased supply of gas could not be taken care of merely by enlarging air vent passageways 32. The invention is not, however, specifically limited to the relationship shown. For instance, elongated tubular body portion could be longer, having a decreased diameter, thus maintaining a constant area of elongated combustion chamber 31, and smaller air vent passageways 32 might be provided. Conversely, elongated tubular body portion might be shorter, having an increased diameter, maintaining a constant elongated combustion chamber, in which case air vent passageways 32 might be enlarged in order to provide a constant volume of air in accordance with the area of elongated combustion chamber 31.

Burner flame baflle 22 preferably includes a body portion 40 having flame directional means 41 and port means 42.

Body portion 40 preferably includes a cover member 44 which is attached to elongated tubular body portion 30 at the end thereof opposite attachment thereof to gas supply means 20. Cover member 44 is attached to elongated tubular body portion 30 in juxtaposition so that flame emitted from elongated combustion chamber 31 impinges thereagainst. Cover member 44 has an elongated flame receiving opening 46 therethrough, flame directional means 41 being positioned over elongated flame receiving opening 46 so that flame passing therethrough impinges against flame directional means 41 and is directed outwardly from the pilot light burner through port means 4-2.

Flame directional means 41 preferably comprises a channel member 4'7 of inverted U-shaped cross-section having one side 48 thereof leading directly from cover member 44 and the other side 49 thereof spaced from the face of cover member 44 to define an elongated slot t). Each end of channel member 47 is open, defining port means 42. Elongated slot 50 provides an uninterrupted ignition way which is juxtaposed and communicant between port means 42 at each end of member 47.

In burner flame baffles previously provided, in which tongues of flame were discharged to divergent sides of a pilot light burner, one tongue generally leading to the gas burner for ignition thereof and the other tongue thereof leading to a thermocouple, it has been found that either one or the other tongues of flame may become extinguished, in which case raw fuel will be ejected out of such extinguished burner flame batfle opening. In this case, in the event that the extinguished side is adjacent the burner, a considerable quantity of gas will be likely to accumulate before the same may be ignited by the tongue of flame leading toward the thermocouple, which is likely to cause an explosion; and in the event that the tongue of flame leading to the thermocouple is extinguished, the thermocouple will become cold and the gas supply to the burner will be cut off. In my improved form of burner flame baffle, in the event that either of the tongues of flame emitted from ports 42 should be extinguished, the flame from the still ignited port means 4-2 will traverse through elongated slot 50 and reignite the previously extinguished flame.

Thermocouple D may be of any conventional type having a heat sensitive member 52 against which may abut a tongue of flame from pilot burner C. An attaching bracket 53 is provided for mounting of thermocouple D on a burner base plate 10.

In the improved relationship shown between gas burner B, pilot light burner C and thermocouple D, pilot light burner C is disposed intermediate gas burner B and thermocouple D, In this relationship, pilot light burner guard 21 extends intermediate the flame area of gas burner B and thermocouple D, shielding thermocouple D from direct heat of gas burner B. In this manner, thermocouple D receives a substantially constant heat, which remains unaffected whether the burner is on or off. Also, the location of thermocouple D outside of pilot light burner C serves to protect pilot light burner C from outside drafts.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope :of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a gas burner, the combination of a frame, a gas burner having a predetermined flame area mounted on said frame, a pilot light burner mounted on said frame, gas supply means for said gas burner, gas supply means for said pilot light burner, and a thermocouple for controlling flow of gas through said gas supply means of said gas burner; said pilot light burner including a burner guard for the gas pilot light, said guard including an elongated tubular body portion having an elongated combustion chamber, means at one end of said tubular body portion for attachment thereof to said pilot light gas supply means in juxtaposition whereby gas emitted from said pilot light gas supply means enters said elongated combustion chamber, said elongated tubular body portion having air intake passageways opening from the periphery of said tubular body portion to said elongated combustion chamber, and a burner flame baffle mounted at the end of said tubular body portion opposite to said means for attachment thereof to said pilot light gas supply means, said burner flame baffle having a body portion including a cover member positioned for impingement thereagainst of the burner flame from said elongated combustion chamber and having an elongated flame receiving opening therethrough, said cover member including flame directional means positioned over said flame receiving opening in juxtaposition whereby to direct a tongue of flame to the flame area of said gas burner and another tongue of flame to said thermocouple, said flame directional means comprising a channel member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section, said channel member being open at each end thereof and extending axially over the elongated flame receiving opening of said cover member in juxtaposition whereby the open ends thereof comprise port means for directional discharge of flame from said pilot light to the flame area of said gas burner and said thermocouple, one side of said inverted U-shaped member adjoining said cover member and the other side thereof terminating adjacent said cover member and defining therebetween a longitudinally extending slot opening at each end thereof into one of said port means in juxtaposition whereby to comprise an ignition way communicant between said port means to provide means for ignition of raw fuel passing through one of said port means by the flame emitted from the other of said port means, said gas burner, pilot light guard and thermocouple being mounted on said frame with said pilot light guard disposed intermediate said thermocouple and said gas burner in juxtaposition whereby said gas pilot light guard shields said thermocouple from direct heat of said gas burner and said thermocouple shields said pilot light guard from outside drafts.

2. A gas pilot light burner guard including an elongated tubular body portion having an elongated combustion chamber, means at one end of said tubular body portion for attachment thereof to a gas pilot light burner in juxtaposition whereby gas emitted from the pilot light enters said elongated combustion chamber, said elongated tubular body portion having air intake passageways opening from the periphery of said tubular body portion to said elongated combustion chamber, and a burner flame baffle mounted at the end of said tubular body portion opposite to said means for attachment thereof to said gas pilot light burner, said burner flame baflie having a body portion including a cover member positioned for impingement thereagainst of the burner flame from said elongated combustion chamber and having an elongated flame receiving opening therethrough, said cover member including flame directional means positioned over said flame receiving opening in juxtaposition whereby to direct the flame to opposite sides thereof, said flame directional means comprising a channel member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section, said channel member being 5 6 open at each end thereof and extending axially over the References Cited by the Examiner elongated flame receiving opening of said cover member UNITED STATES PATENTS m f f f if F 5. g f g i 2,282,551 5/1942 Yates 15s-99 por means or lreclona lsc ar,,e o ame o opp sie 2,353,042 7/1944 Koch 158 130 sides thereof, one side of said inverted U-shaped member 5 2 538 953 1/1951 Yates et a1 158*99 adjoining said cover member and the other side thereof 2959216 11/1960; Alger terminating adjacent said cover member and defining there- 3146823 9/1964 Loveland 158 113 X between a longitudinally extending slot opening at each end thereof into one of said port means. JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A GAS BURNER, THE COMBINATION OF A FRAME, A GAS BURNER HAVING A PREDETERMINED FLAME AREA MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A PILOT LIGHT BURNER MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, GAS SUPPLY MEANS FOR SAID GAS BURNER, GAS SUPPLY MEANS FOR SAID PILOT LIGHT BURNER, AND A THERMOCOUPLE FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF GAS THROUGH SAID GAS SUPPLY MEANS OF SAID GAS BURNER; SAID PILOT LIGHT BURNER INCLUDING A BURNER GUARD FOR THE GAS PILOT LIGHT, SAID GUARD INCLUDING AN ELONGATED TUBULAR BODY PORTION HAVING AN ELONGATED COMBUSTION CHAMBER, MEANS AT ONE END OF SAUD TUBULAR BODY PORTION FOR ATTACHMENT THEREOF TO SAID PILOT LIGHT GAS SUPPLY MEAN IN JUXTAPOSITION WHEREBY GAS EMITTED FROM SAID PILOT LIGHT GAS SUPPLY MEANS ENTERS SAID ELONGATED COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID ELONGATED TUBULAR BODY PORTION HAVING AIR INTAKE PASSAGEWAYS OPENING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TUBULAR BODY PORTION TO SAID ELONGATED COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AND A BURNER FLAME BAFFLE MOUNTED AT THE END OF SAID TUBULAR BODY PORTION OPPOSITE TO SAID MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT THEREOF TO SAID PILOT LIGHT GAS SUPPLY MEANS, SAID BURNER FLAME BAFFLE HAVING A BODY PORTION INCLUDING A COVER MEMBER POSITIONED FOR IMPINGEMENT THEREAGAINST OF THE BURNER FLAME FROM SAID ELONGATED COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND HAVING AN ELONGATED FLAME RECEIVING OPENING THERETHROUGH, SAID COVER MEMBER INCLUDING FLAME DIRECTIONAL MEANS POSITIONED OVER SIAD FLANGE RECEIVING OPENING IN JUXTAPOSITION WHEREBY TO DIRECT A TONGUE OF FLAME TO THE FLAME AREA OF SAID GAS BURNER AND ANOTHER TONGUE OF FLAME TO SAID THERMOCOUPLE, SAID FLANGE DIRECTIONAL MEANS COMPRISING A CHANNEL MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIALLY INVERTED U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION, SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BEING OPEN AT EACH END THEREOF AND EXTENDING AXIALLY OVER THE ELONGATED FLAME RECEIVING OPENING OF SAID COVER MEMBER IN JUXTAPOSITION WHEREBY THE OPEN ENDS THEREOF COMPRISE PORT MEANS FOR DIRECTIONAL DISCHARGE OF FLAME FROM SAID PILOT LIGHT TO THE FLAME AREA OF SAID GAS BURNER AND SAID THERMOCOUPLE, ONE SIDE OF SAID INVERTED U-SHAPED MEMBER ADJOINING SAID COVER MEMBER AND THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF TERMINATING ADJACENT SAID COVER MEMBER AND DEFINING THEREBETWEEN A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT OPENING AT EACH END THEREOF INTO ONE OF SAID PORT MEANS IN JUXTAPOSITION WHEREBY TO COMPRISE AN IGNITION WAY COMMUNICANT BETWEEN SAID PORT MEANS TO PROVIDE MEANS FOR IGNITION OF RAW FUEL PASSING THROUGH ONE OF SAID PORT MEANS BY THE FLAME EMITTED FROM THE OTHER OF SAID PORT MEANS, SAID GAS BURNER, PILOT LIGHT GUARD AND THERMOCOUPLE BEING MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME WITH SAID PILOT LIGHT GUARD DISPOSE INTERMEDIATE SAID THERMOCOUPLE AND SAID GAS BURNER IN JUXTAPOSITION WHEREBY SAID GAS PILOT LIGHT GUARD SHIELDS SAID THERMOCOUPLE FROM DIRECT HEAT OF SAID GAS BURNER AND SAID THERMOCOUPLE SHIELDS SAID PILOT LIGHT GUARD FROM OUTSIDE DRAFTS. 